AWI Quarterly » 2009 Winter

While many people are familiar with the inhumane nature of puppy mills - dog breeding operations where animals are overbred, overcrowded and often poorly cared for - most are unaware of mass-breeding bird facilities.

ALTHOUGH NO ACTION WAS TAKEN on the Pet Safety and Protection Act in the last Congress, the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill and the FARM bill were adopted; both include language regarding random source Class B dealers who sell dogs and cats for experimentation.

In response to the Hallmark-Westland slaughter plant exposé, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG ) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) assessed what had transpired at Hallmark, if it could have been prevented, and whether similar problems exist at other plants. OIG evaluated 10 slaughter facilities which, like Hallmark, kill cull cows (dairy animals who are no longer viewed as productive). Cull animals are oftentimes in a weakened physical condition, and are therefore more susceptible to becoming downed (non-ambulatory).